Side vs. Top Shooter

[Alex.q]

I know it will change based on design, but how will having wheels on the bottom vs wheels on the top and bottom affect the range/accuracy? Will two sets of wheels provide more power/range as one would believe, or would power be entirely dependent on the motors themselves?

Sorry if this is hard to answer based on little actual design.

[farmersvilleRob]

Originally Posted by Alex.q

I know it will change based on design, but how will having wheels on the bottom vs wheels on the top and bottom affect the range/accuracy? Will two sets of wheels provide more power/range as one would believe, or would power be entirely dependent on the motors themselves?

Sorry if this is hard to answer based on little actual design.

Well to my knowledge, it would give more range. Think of it this way: If you have a pitching machine on, to throw a fastball with the appropriate slope through the strike zone, the top wheel is set at 40 mph and the bottom wheel at 65 mph. That gives you a 60 mph fastball and that is because of the bottom wheel still having to put spin on the ball otherwise you have a frozen rope (linedrive) at the same level it came out as.

It would, however, make the top motor run at about 30% efficiency compared to the bottom one because it is programmed to run slower. You could throw a frozen rope at the goal, but if that worked, then basketball players would do it... and they don't.

So, you need the curve. The bottom only motor gives you the curve, but with a plate on the top using friction to create the slope, it gives a lot more rotational translation of power than linear. This slope actually works against you. It's like programming for a 45 degree shot from a cannon and getting a 60 degree angle anyways with less power and that huge slope. So, you need one for shots further than 5 feet, if you can make it. And they would have to be run by a CIM motor, otherwise there isn't enough torque. But, you could actually make a super light bot that runs on 2 CIM motors no problem. It's all up to the rest of the bot, but torque and RPM is your focus for the whole competition. Torque for driving. RPM/torque for shooting. RPM for ball collecting/grabbing. Torque for bridge pushdown. Torque for arm/shooter raising/lowering. Every team needs to balance their motor layouts to correspond with every other part of the bot, otherwise it won't doing any good if you have an amazing 4 CIM shooter with a slow body and vice verse.